Harley, We're Going Down Swinging
by alexiascarletthendrix
Summary: Karkat goes to play Jade a song, to win her heart from that jerk Dave.
1. Part One: Rejection

Karkat ran to the park, knowing that's where Jade and Dave were. He needed to see them, urgently. His Gibson acoustic guitar smacked him on the back as he ran, but the pain was a motivator. He absolutely HAD to get there before they did anything.

Jade Harley was the love of his life. Every day after school, Karkat would play some rock or pop punk medley for her on his electric, Signless, but recently she was skipping out on him to see Dave Strider. That obnoxious, ironic, blond, rude, pretentious, rich motherfucker! It was very obvious that Karkat liked her, but Dave had something Karkat didn't: game. He could sweet talk a brick wall and it would go out with him. Hell, he even led Karkat on for a few weeks.

WAIT. IS HE LEADING JADE ON? OH HELL TO THE FUCK NO!

Karkat ran faster than he did in his entire life, his unathleticism and extreme dedication to his music really hindering him more than benefiting him. After following the sound of cute, high pitched laughter and that pretentious teenage bastard's voice, he found the two holding hands on a park bench. Dave was obviously enjoying himself, holding her hand and placing the other on her th- OH FUCK NO HE IS NOT PUTTING HIS HAND ON HER THIGH! I'LL KILL HIM. But first, the plan.

"JADE HARLEY! I HAVE ONE LAST SONG I WANNA SING YOU!"

The couple turned to him, Dave very pissed off that he was cockblocking him.

"Jade, you know this douchebag?"

"Yeah! He's not a douchebag, he's my friend. But shut up, he's trying to talk!"

Karkat took a deep breath, and took his guitar off his back and kept it in front of him, in a playing position. He opened his mouth, and started to sing, his hands starting to play at the exact same time.

"_Am I more than you bargained for yet?_

_I've been dying to tell you anything you want to hear!"_

Karkat started to sing an acoustic version of Fall Out Boy's Sugar We're Going Down, which he knew was her favourite song. He sang each syllable extremely well, sounding like a rock and roll angel. He tapped his foot to the beat, and closing his eyes as to not make things awkward with eye contact. But the chorus is where Karkat started to get forward with his song.

"_We're going down, down, in an earlier round! And Harley' we're going down swinging. _

_Step off of her, you ironic prick, 'cause Strider we're going down swinging!_

_Harley girl, I love you lots. And wish every day that you'd be mine!_

_So ditch this cunt, he ain't no fun, because sugar we're going down swi-"_

"Karkat! I absolutely lo-" She was cut off by a kiss, and then Dave whispering something like "Let's fucking go, now."

Rain started to pour, showers coming down over the musician. Jade, who was initially smiling at Karkat's effort, was instantly shot down by Dave grabbing her arm and running her back to his apartment.

'Fucking hell, Karkat. Now look what you've gotten yourself into.' He thinks to himself. He drops his guitar and stares at it, getting soaking wet. He doesn't care . The love of his life was gone, and off with some asshole in sunglasses. But nevertheless, he finished the song to himself, just above a whisper.

"_Harley girl, we should go out, I'd treat you like a disney princess!_

_I'd be your prince, your Flynn your man, and Harley we'd live forever after."_


	2. Part Two: Acceptance

After what seemed like hours, Karkat decided to move from his spot in the park. He was sopping wet, the grey hoodie now weighing about 5 pounds more than it did previously. His jet black hair covered his ocean blue eyes, making it slightly difficult to see. The other contributing factor was the fact that he was sobbing like a bitch. He dragged his guitar with him into a nearby subway station, sour notes filling the stairwell every time the guitar made contact with one of the steps. He looked at the worker behind the counter covered in glass, fast asleep. So he did what any teenager with a guitar and no money would do. He hopped the gate and laid against one of the pillars, moving his hair away from his eyes, taking a deep breath.

'Fuck. All I wanted to do was impress the love of my life. Is that too much to fucking ask?!' Karkat mentally screamed at himself, the self loathing just beginning. He sat there, cursing himself as angrily as he would Strider if he was here. Strider, mother FUCKING STRIDER! The thought of that blond haired ironic little prick just made his blood boil. Him and his stupid rap bullshit and fucking turn tables he kept in the music room at school, along with Karkat's Prince, a Fender Squire, and Jade's K-9, an Ibanez GSR200. Karkat would bet all the money in the fucking world he'd be using their actual playing to make some stupid rap mix about "fucking bitches and mobbing fools" as Strider so elegantly put it.

'Enough self loathing and cursing out an asshole', Karkat thought. He picked up the guitar, placed it in his lap and thought long and hard about what he wanted to play to pass the time and relieve his sadness. Rolling Stones? No. AC/DC? On acoustic? Fucking never. Radiohead? Fuck yes. Karkat took a deep breath, and started to play.

"_When you were here before_

_Couldn't look you in the eye_

_You're just like an angel_

_Your skin makes me cry_

_You float like a feather_

_In a beautiful world_

_I wish I was special_

_You're so fucking special!"_

His voice was full of life, but it was a life he didn't want anymore. Not without Jade.

_"BUT I'M A CREEP!" _

He yelled the chorus, his throat strained from the crying.

_"I'M A WEIRDO! WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING HERE?!"_

_"I don't belong here..."_

Karkat couldn't finish the song, the crying started again. But he started his own chorus, trying to sing through the tears.

"_Just a fuck up. A fucking failure~! Why the hell do I even try?! _Fuck! C'mon, Vantas, finish it.

_"But I belong here."_

He smiled for the first time in forever, and restarted the first verse,

_"Strider can fuck off. _

_His ironic bullshit can die._

_You're nothing more than a fuck head._

_How the hell'd you make me cry? _

_The girl that you have now~_

_Will never be yours. _

_You wish you were special!_

_BECAUSE BITCH I AM SPECIAL! _

_I'M NOT A CREEP!_

_I'M A ROCK GOD! _

_JADE HARLEY WILL BE MY GIRL!_

_AND WE'LL BE FUCKING HAPPY!"_

Karkat calmed down, his smile becoming bigger with every lyric. The roughness returning to his voice, and the crying almost instantly stopped. He got up, waited to get dry, and walked all the way back to his house, more confident than ever. He'll fucking beat Strider. Even if it kills him.


End file.
